Random Thoughts: Our new Eagle look

Well, now you see it, here on these pages or on a computer screen. Eagle Newspapers has a new and exciting look, and I hope you enjoy what you see.

Part of the reality of our mass media is that, for it to both survive and thrive, it has to keep changing. Our days of relying solely on ink-stained copies of the weekly paper are long gone, and for much of our recent existence we’ve grappled with that change, with mixed results.

We started by having a basic website for all our publications. Then we went to individual sites for each of them. As time went on, the graphics got better, but plenty of complications remained, not the least of which was the way we entered stories, or edited them, or placed pictures. Nothing was simple.

But thanks to the long, tireless work of so many people at Eagle, especially Doug Campbell, we are getting a massive upgrade on all fronts — in other words, an extreme makeover, but not like the ones you see on countless reality TV shows.

First, look at our front pages. The banners are larger, bolder, and it leaves you no doubt as to what area is covered, and to what we care about.

Then there’s our content. Thanks to a strong, talented and dedicated group of editors, our coverage of local events, issues and controversies cannot be matched. It’s our daily duty to look at, and care about, what you look at and care about.

Now, moving to the Web, our sites still have the same names, but that’s about it. Everything else has been upgraded.

Aside from the new looks to all our home pages, stories and pictures, there’s more of a chance for you to participate, whether through comments, surveys or social media like Facebook and Twitter. Also, look for more uploaded videos and podcasts to enhance your experience.

All of the above changes apply to our sports coverage, too. We’re devoted to making sure that Eagle is the first place you turn to for high-school news and notes.

Sure, you’ll have the usual game stories, but I’m also returning to a blog I used to do, but abandoned, a while back. The “Blackwell Blog” will cover as many of the high-school news as we can, not just in our coverage area but all over Central New York and the state, too. Things happen every day, and I will endeavor to keep the blog fresh for all our readers.

Still, neither myself, nor the writers and photographers that help out in our coverage, can do it alone. These are, after all, “community” publications, and that means your input, and help, is quite welcome as we serve you.

From a sports standpoint, that might mean writing stories on the teams, or features about the young men and women who take the field. Or it could mean simply taking pictures, giving a face to all those names you read about on a weekly basis. Those kids deserve that attention for the hard work that they do. As always, I want to hear from you, for your feedback helps us strengthen our focus on the things that count.

Through the years I’ve spent at Eagle, the greatest excitement comes from seeing how high-school sports teams can galvanize a community. The pride they take in seeing their boys and girls march toward championships is something that’s hard to describe, but still we hope that our new-look pages, and our new-look web sites, reflect those tales as they unfold.